“From the outside looking in, [Tycho] can appear bigger than it is, and so people are like, ‘Oh, I should have heard of this.’ But should you have? It’s instrumental, weird ambient music,” laughed Tycho frontman Scott Hansen regarding why his music flies under the radar.
Still, while bands such as Explosions in the Sky may have more name recognition, Tycho’s popularity is on the rise, thanks to its expansive sounds, intoxicating beats, and atmospheric mood. The band’s most recent record, Epoch (2016), offers listeners an aurally rich, finely calibrated musical journey and can serve as an excellent introduction for those unfamiliar with Tycho.
I recently chatted over the phone with Hansen, who was at his home in the Bay Area for a brief hiatus on their current tour, which includes a stop at the Lobero on September 25.